One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez (Book)

85/100 of #100bookpact

One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

As you can see with the list of the books I have read this year, I can claim I have read a lot :) hence decided to move on to my next target of reading the heavier as well as a little critical stuff from some well known writers and this one - fortunately falls in that series as the first book that I got from a very close friend - highly recommended. Fortunately not so long ago I had read one of his books (Chronicle of a Death Foretold) liked it too and it became one of those few books which I am sure I will never be able to forget specially for the stunningly gruesome account of killing it portrayed. So, basically had a little idea what to expect from this one but I wasn't prepared in reality for what I got, Mind-blowing stuff. Usually a book of 400+ pages I will easily wrap it in around 3-4 days but guess what - this took me close to 8 days, started on a Sunday and finished it late last night (Sunday). It is actually indeed very heavy stuff (at least from my fresher standards) and I couldn't grasp what he was throwing at me with a furious pace. No doubt, the details were mind-blowing (at times mind-fuck too), I am sure you will agree with the choice of words - if you have read this book. He is one of the most respected writer / personality from Columbia and a Nobel Prize Winner in Literature - If you need to know more about him, the search ends right there with that. 

I am sure Gabriel Garcia Marquez knew right when he started the book that its not going to be a easily tracked story for all the readers hence right at the very start he helps us with the family tree of Aureliano's initial generations as whose who that we are reading about. The entire book covers a little more then 100 years in the life and times of Aureliano's Seven generations in a fictitious place called Macondo which is assumed to be Columbia and a place around 100 miles north of the Carribean where the life and people are yet to reach. It is indeed a visual treat if you are in for the imagination - I totally loved the details told in the story and writers imagination. As the first generation starts living there (wild guess - around 1860's), imagine to send a regular mail they have to travel 15 days in an unknown direction where the mailman comes once a month. The story by the time it comes to an end - shows us the arrival of railroad in the town as well as the making of an Airport (Almost). What happens in between with the seven generation of Aureliano's and the 300 people who make the town of Macondo with the arrival of José Arcadio Buendía and his wife Úrsula Iguarán who happens to be his first cousin. How the family grows, after multiple relations with the well endowed men of Aureliano's generations, there comes a time when they make their own personal army of sorts. 

The way the life, their house (which becomes a mansion later) and the town changes with time is the most stunningly written details and descriptions I had ever read or imagined in a book. Although no denying that with that number of people and similar names (as almost all the guys are one or the other Aureliano) it was tough to keep a track of them all. My Favorite Four characters in no particular order will always remain the second Son Colonel Aureliano Buendía, the bravest man in the history of the Town (Country not sure), his life and story is one heck of a story. He turns out to be not only a Warrior but a very good poet too. During the wars Colonel Buendia fathered 17 sons by unknown women and all were named Aureliano :). How his wife Ursula keeps up with his nuances and his own end of the story is heartening account but I totally loved it. Second Favorite Character was Remedios the Beauty who happens to be Colonel's Grand Sons Daughter (you see you need to keep a track), the most beautiful women to have ever been born in Macondo and how many innocent people die because of her is a hilarious account. What happens to her in the end, I could never imagine in my wildest fantasies - too good to be true, totally amazing stuff. 

Third was Amaranta Úrsula, the Great Great Grand Daughter of the first generation José Arcadio Buendía. She is the only one from the entire generations to be the first one to go out of the town and country for her studies, gets married but returns back to have an affair with her own Nephew, have a son with him who happens to be the last of the line from Buendia family. The gory details of their affair and love making were simply mind-blowing and fall in the never ever read earlier category. But no doubt she comes back as a refreshing character bringing some respite for the readers if not for her own family who is already in ruins. And last but not the least - Fourth Favorite was an outsider from the family "Melquiades" the mysterious character who returns from his own death, does some superb inventions, writes his own prophecies - how true they come is something you've got to read the book to know. His presence all the time in the family house and mystery behind his room was something which kept me hooked throughout and the end was superb totally unpredictable. Even other then these four characters there are more then two dozen more characters with amazing presence and stories behind them, still these four outshine all the others for me and I am going to remember them for a long long time. 

Also, I am going to take a break from his other works for a while before picking them up. But what the heck - just cant miss his other works for sure. What an amazingly engaging writer and am glad my friend sent me this book.

The Zahir - Paulo Coelho (Book)

84/100 of #100bookpact The Zahir - Paulo Coelho This is the third book from Paulo that I have read in the last 15 days or less and I must say that I totally love his flow of words and treatment of stories interwoven with real life. This one definitely is his own partial Autobiography of sorts where he has taken a chapter out of his own married life and put it as a back, his little more then two year long separation from his wife when she leaves him with no clue where she is going and what she is going to do. He also gets arrested briefly at the very start but later let go as they get no proof of any crime done by him (hilarious episode and loved his sense of humor). What is more inspiring in this book or any of his other works is simplicity and the way he just writes what comes to his mind in the form of a book and confesses too that - thats all he could do and it works for him and others too. Credits his wife for making him a writer as he himself wasn't sure if its the right thing to do or not, she actually gets him a typewriter / computer and he starts fulfilling his own dream. He says why he wrote / writes is to clear his mind off whatever coming into it so he can sleep peacefully :) now how inspiring it is for a budding writer - who gets a big clue as what to write on and where to go from there.

This starts after they have been married for close to ten years when the things start going south, static routine life, no change, they start taking each other for granted and finally his wife walks out without leaving any clue behind where she is going, why and with whom. How he gets the idea where she has gone and his subsequent journey of getting to find her or may be convince her back into his life is what this book covers mostly, a journey of around a little more then 2 years and a couple of months. If you like his books and like him as a writer - this one is a must must read as it gives a great insight on the man Paulo Coelho is, a terrific personal account of his own life and how he does things, what he thinks, his insecurities, passion and what not. I totally loved it. Hats off to the writer in him too as this one keeps the reader in a dilemma and sort of suspense too till the very end as how and what is going to happen at the end of the day. Close to 200 pages and a breeze to read, this one again is a book where the reader keeps asking for more by the time it ends. Also, I loved the way he talks about his other books in here narrating the story as that tells me what am I going to read next :), you see I told you - he is smart. 

Paulo Coelho I must say is one of those very few writers that makes every reader feel how the heck he knows what am I thinking? As he actually has written exactly what was going through my mind while reading it. If you have read this - you will know what I am talking and if you haven't - I guess its high-time you get a copy and read it.

By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept - Paulo Coelho (Book)

83/100 of #100bookpact By the River Piedra I Sat Down and Wept - Paulo Coelho The best thing about a Paulo Coelho book is that they deserve multiple readings and every-time you read one of his books, they make more sense then they made it the last time. I am sure this isn't the first time I picked up this one as it did feel "been there done that" throughout the story but still made a lot of sense. Another fantastic philosophical or theosophical or spiritual read you can call it, told in the simple manner of a love story or the journey of two lovers but I guess how it ends is he has already given away by the title. Story of two school time friends, who grew up together in Soria (a city in north-central Spain), the guy goes away, they keep in touch through letters, finally he comes back after 12 years and the story moves as they go through a journey and spend some days traveling together. More details on what he did during their separation, how and why he became a spiritual healer, what all he has learned, lost, found etc. Now the big questions was - whether she and her love is going to hold him back from his duties that he thinks he is here for? Is she going to sacrifice the love of her life who she has found after so long finally to fulfill her dream of living with him the house on a hill? One of the most beautiful love stories as it progresses, I have ever read so far. What an amazing week they had together, learn so may new things about each other even after knowing everything else for so many years. The concept of God being a female, although nothing new for us but I guess its a big thing when it comes from Catholics because they don't believe in God being a woman. This is another little book of wisdom which needs to be read again and again to grasp its whole meaning. To tough to make any sense in just one read - I am sure of that and will keep it in my collection for re-reads. I am not surprised why almost every alternate book that I read talks more or less about our purpose on this planet and they all talk about the same stuff, Live life, be happy, spread happiness, live in today, dream and make them possible, experience life thats all there is to do, no other thing. But still we don't get it and get back to our nine to five lives.

One Indian Girl - Chetan Bhagat (Book)

82/100 of #100bookpact

One Indian Girl - Chetan Bhagat

So, the next Chetan Bhagat book is out - what are we going to do? Ignore it? Dump it without reading? Go by others opinion? as most are going to read and discard as another trashy book soon to be made into a hit movie or go with the other most who will read it and love it and of-course will wait for the movie too? Or the last option - what the heck! will read and will make my own opinion. I am definitely the third types - so got it at a discount in the first week itself and you see I saved 20/- by getting it only for 99/- Bingo! Thats a steal as will fwd it to the friends soon who are CB Fans. Also, I wanted to read it before the movie rights are sold to anyone and the lead cast is declared so I can visualize my own imaginative faces for the lead :). Thats the best reason so far that I could come out with to read this one - have read all his earlier works, some I didn't like much, some I did and guess some I loved too, he has written six before this one if you already don't know. Also, I am anyways no short of time to put some man-hours to an Author's year long efforts. The choice of words in this one confirmed one thing though that he has read "Harry Potter" books for sure.

And he has left no stone unturned in breaking off all the clichés in the society specially for girls, you will agree with me if you have read the book. So we have Radhika in lead here an IIT and IIMian (Of-course CB cant look beyond that so far) and its always good for us Indians passed out from Hamidia Colleges to read the rocking life of those prestigious college pass-outs who land in jobs worth paying quarter of a million American dollars in the their very first job (Being a financial geek working with Goldman Sachs NYC). Why cant a girl make more then her own boy friend i.e. three times more then what exactly he makes, how he takes it is worth a read, also what happens next could be anyone's guess. Of-course this girl wants her man to go down on her, why not? She too has a right on pleasure and she loves "Brazilian Wax" if you know what he means and we already know by this time how far Chetan Bhagat has come from "Five Point Someone" days. He aptly uses his own knowledge of Financial Industry in this one that too on layman terms. Giving us a gist how GS and its employees made money and hopefully he will end it the way I predict it to end. So, Radhika is on the verge of getting married (read arranged marriage - we are Indians after-all) and her X boy friend crops up, so we have to go through a flashback of her success and not so success story to come to the end and see what happens. Will a girl get her due finally as this is the 21st century and no one is able to understand her yet. Also CB has definitely given some competition to Samuel L Jackson from "Pulp Fiction" in using the F word this time around especially by his Girl - I guess a first in his books and why not? If you ask why. I am loving it so far.... I love her dad too (Although he had hardly anything to do).

So, Miss Radhika is definitely in and out of love a couple of times, have all the experiences of tough life, traveled a lot starting her career from NYC to Hongkong to London and in between her job makes her travel a lot too. She isn't a virgin, can spend a Crore on her own on her destination wedding. Drinks, Smokes, does drugs too when she wants to yet she cant decide how and where her life goes at times. I was totally convinced with the story and also loved the fact that he ended it exactly how I wished it would end after reading the first 50 odd pages as all the characters lay their cards on the table. It's a must read for all as its a breeze of a book, short and sweet especially for those who happen to be the parents of a girl child in our part of the world. I have a lot of cousins and friends who are going through the same battle in their lives, even after having good education and jobs - they still cant fly free. And Chetan Bhagat has left no stone unturned with this book and story (call it a work of fiction) in clearing all doubts that he is a pakka feminist - nothing wrong in that and why not? I am totally with him, high time we accepted the smartness of our better half's hands down and respect them too. Although the book may not prove to be too great or the story not to be too different (I haven't read this kind of a story in the past ever) still he makes a very clear point and I totally loved it. Can definitely not disagree with him on anything he says through his characters - they are totally apt and unbelievably true as this is exactly what we all go through even today. 

Digital Fortress - Dan Brown (Book)

81/100 of #100bookpact

Digital Fortress - Dan Brown

After reading and watching "Inferno" with various comments, reviews and recommendations I realized that this wasn't Dan Brown's best work. Hence decided to go the very start and picked up all his works to be read and enjoyed thoroughly. Even this one - his very first book isn't considered a great book from any standards but it was able to keep me hooked to the very end, suspense was good, thrill was enough to keep me on toes and actually made me finish the fastest way possible as I seriously couldn't stretch it anymore as how it all ended. Also realized with the description of its hero David Becker that this was actually the making of Robert Langdon in the long run, his fear of two wheelers, his love of Khaki, Teaching background and of-course his mastery various languages and of solving the complicated puzzles. Superb story of another American invention gone rogue when they build up a machine to decode all the communications going on world wide, may it be email, calls, texts - although built with the purpose of country's safety but its hazardous to privacy. Someone has to do something about it and an X employee of NSA (National Security Agency) takes it on himself to destroy it - he has more then one good enough reason to do it. How he does it in style stretched the narrative to the very last page and keeps the readers glued.

The story moves at a brisk pace with at-least five parallel tracks leading to one explosive finale. Although it does gets predictable around the mid section and I really wondered if it was me only who could see it or others too were able to guess the connection between North Dakota and Ensei Tankado. Making of the code breaking machine TRANSLTR and then the entry of Digital Fortress as the breaker of TRANSLTR is simply too good. The way Dan Brown has written the characters even the villain doesn't look like a villain by the time it all ends and he ably confuses the readers loyalty from one person to other. Topsy turvy love life of David Becker with NSA's best Cryptographer Susan is too good - visually it would have been too good if anybody made a TV series (not a movie for sure) on this one. Dan Brown's characters have to religiously travel to Spain, Italy and will have to speak many languages without fail and it all is very much there to our delight, I really like the way he pushes the reader to use his own intelligence to understand whats going on and its mind-blowing and surprisingly even then this isn't considered as one of his best works, so which one is? Gotta read them all to know better.

This one written in the late 90's is a definite must read as it certainly builds up the basic premise of making of Robert Langdon and I totally loved it.